A Quiet Moment Amongst Friends

Fifteen Taxidermied Musical Acts

Collection, found photographs, Fifteen 160 x160 pixel squares, 2009

"We were dead, but we started a band!"

My posts about the Frog Band piqued my interest in the subculture of taxidermied animals performing in bands. A thorough search of the internet turned up this collection of fifteen musical acts. Finding these performers was no easy task. The internet is filled with fake animals in bands and anthropomorphic taxidermy, but it's much harder than you think to find a deceased animal handling a musical instrument or singing. I also had to make some tough calls and exclude animals that looked too alive.

These musical groups are part of a rich history. The art of anthropomorphic taxidermy has thrived since the Victorian era. You can read all about it on the exhaustively researched website Taxidermy4Cash.com. [Editor's note: This is also a fantastic resource for making some good money during the recession. Get your hands on some antique taxidermy and you're set.]

Frog Band: Guitar Solo

Drawing, pencil on paper, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, 2007

This drawing captures the lead guitarist for the Frog Band tearing it up on a guitar solo. He's in the pocket. The crowd is going nuts. 

This was my final project for a drawing class at San Francisco City College in 2007. Just like my Hand Turkey was the greatest of all time, this has to be the best drawing of a taxidermied frog playing a guitar that the world has ever seen.  

UPDATE: There is a squirrel band at the Country Music Hall of Fame that might give my frogs a run for their money. According to legend, Hank Williams Sr. shot these little guys on his land and hand them stuffed. Whatever, my frogs can take on some country squirrels. I'm not worried.

UPDATE 2: Angela B just pointed me in the direction of this Prairie Dog a capella group at a bar in Hayward, Wisconsin. They actually look pretty tough. Who knew there were this many taxidermied animal bands in the world?

UPDATE 3: I compiled images from 15 taxidermied animal bands on the internet. 

Frog Band: The Movie

Silent film, 8mm, black and white, 2.5 minutes, 2008

In this short film, two frogs form a band and play a show on the floor of a mysterious man's apartment. Abraham Lincoln watches from the shadows. 

I created this for an experimental film class in the spring of 2008. This was my practice roll of film and I was playing with light and focus by shooting various objects around my apartment. I digitally edited this movie using the small amount of footage that came out looking okay. It's quite sloppy, but the climax is riveting.

The actual Frog Band was passed down to me by my grandparents. They bought these two frogs on a trip to Mexico in the 1970s. Since acquiring them many years ago, I've used them in a handful of art projects. They are my muse. I'll be sharing more Frog Band art in the coming days.